blowby etc
I used a new set of rings, but did not touch the bores at all. 4 pistons were replaced.
Ive driven it for about 500 miles on normal oil, quite easy ( it rains a lot ) no real load on the engine. But the engine is breathing heavier than Im happy with.
I just added in a pair of -10 breathers to the valley cover to help alleviate any pressure that may happen to be in there.. It isnt chucking oil BTW though....mostly mayo crap ( car runs at 175degF during normal driving ) but Im putting this down to condensation due to the cold stat..
When I changed the oil yesterday to some decent stuff, the oil itself kinda stunk of exhaust gasses. I had it sitting at idle for about 10 mins before changing the oil, to warm it up.
When I built it, the ring clearances were pretty tight, so I dont think the ring gap is an issue. ( Total seal 1 piece stainless top, and Napier 2nd ) I got them within about 2 thou of the specs supplied with the rings...which were tight at around 16 thou ( give or take...dont have the specs to hand )
Although I did kinda break one 2nd ring when installing, so had to re-use an old 2nd ring, which was say 23thou ( not napier ) These only had a few hundred miles though.
Would this seem odd ? And should I be concerned ? or am I maybe being paranoid. I dont recall oil smelling like that when ive changed it before, although I usually change it after a drive..
It isnt using oil, and it runs fine.
But yes the oil smelling like exhaust with low miles is a good sign of blowby, running rich, or not getting the oil up to temp. Leakdown test wouldnt be a bad idea.
Used...yes, but at 500 miles ( most of which were very easy ) shouldnt the bore still be perfect ?
Very good chance the oil isnt getting up to temp. The engine is running cold due to the stat ( and of course I ordered some from Summit...and the one they sell for "late model LS1" is totally wrong
Dont have a leakdown tester, but I will get one soon enough.
When I checked the new breather cans I fitted to the valve cover....after say 80 easy miles today, there is about 3/4" of relatively clean water in each of them.
Stainless rings are very touchy with cylinder wall prep, nothing you do now except put some miles on it and check the leakdown.

Good indication is watching the breathers on the dyno, if it looks like a steam train at WOT then you might have some issues. As long as the oil rings are doing their job a little blowby wont kill power too bad.
Trending Topics
I might be wrong though. I am a profetional mechanic (hince the miss spelled words), and have been for 20 years.
Sorry dude, good luck.
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
I am 100% certain only one ring broke.....simply my negligence, and a crap spring compressor...and newly machined deck. Stupid for not chamfering the top of the bores.
I did just change the plugs from TR6's that I was using for the first few hundred miles. The plugs are perfectly normal, no odd colouring, or anything to suggest any oil contamination..
Keith






